The Indianapolis journal., 1887-10-09
REV. DIR. FLETCHER'S LETTER
Sorrento, the Place for Historical AssO-
Citations, as Well as for Honeymoons.
Reflections Suggested by 'Agnes of Sorrento"
Caesar Augustus, Tasso, Torquato, John
Milton and More Modern People.
of the 1ndianano1i. Journal,

1S61-Twenty years ago one of Mrs. Harriet
Beecher Stoves least interesting books ap-
peared. bearing the name of agnes of Sor-
rento." It had not the power of Uncle Tom or
of sDred." 1t had not the pathos of the "Pearl
of Orris Island" but it had much graceful and
true description. am in Agnes Sorrento; but
why shonld l associate this place, which real
ICES the poets or painters dream of Italy, with
an American work of fiction, when it is a city
and neighborhood associated with real names,
names celebrated in history, great in poetry, in
craftsmanship, and in war. I look from the bal
cony of my room upon the overhaneing cliffs
that are reflected in the calm, pellucid waters a
hundred feet below, and see near at hand,
where Asenius Polio had his magnificent villa.
Polio the early friend and patron Of Virgil
and Horace. A little further on Mecenas, the
friend Of Horace and the lover of beaux arts,
had his pleasure house, where amidst his vine
yards and olive groves he passed the hours free
from the cares of Rome And there, on that
point jutting out into the sea- the ruins Of
the magnificent palace built by Augustus
Cesar, who was so fond of the shores OF the bay
of Naples and lived much at Sorrento Ischia,
Puteol and Capri. From the ruins of this pal
ace Of Augustus may be seen the remains of
many other costly villas belonging to the Ro-
mans of the first century. A little further is
the island of Capri where Tiberius remained
long away from public affairs, and let the
Roman empire run itself" Coming down to
later days, / am within two hundred yards Of
where once stood the house in which the Italian
poet Torquato Tasso. was born. Here in Sor-
rento came the great Milton. in the beauty of his
early manhood, visiting with his friend Mauso,
the Marquis of Villa, the places of classic asso-
citation, and those of his favorite. Tasso. The
III had
Tasso intimately. Milton brave fellow in
this voyage to Italy. He had already written
those beautiful poems, "Arcades," "Comus, 'Ly-
cidas," and "rAlegro" tthe Cheerful Mani, and
sic Penseroso" (the Thoughtful Mani. of which
last two Macaulay says they differ from other
poems ''as ottar of roses differ from ordinary
rose water-the close packed essence from the
thin diluted mixture" and the same writer says
that the Comus framed tn model
of Italian marque is certainly
the noblest performance of tho kind
in any language" said that Milton was brave
in this journey, for penniug, while he was at
Naples, and previous TO his second visit to Rome
that the English Jssuits in the latter city had
formed plot against him because he had spoken
duty led him right back to the Eternal City,
and the warnings he received did not hinder him
an instant He went to Rome. and he has pus
on record his views concerning . man being
to his colors under such circumstances;
''for," he writes, when threatened by the Eng
lish Jesuits, sit a rule which laid down to
myself in those places Rome. Naples. etc.
never to be the first to begin any conversation
on religion, but if any questions were put to
me m ,ne.. cene.,n'ne my .a.n faith to des,.r:
1 returned to Rome. took no steps to conceal
either my person or my character. and. for
about the space of two months. again openly
defended, as had done befere. the reformed
religion in the very metropolis Of Pepsry."
But let US. however, come back to the Sor-
~anfA IF thA ant ffvnA HNu wtah
a party of Indianapolis friends could have been
with me this morning as / sailed forth TO visit
the villa. or country seat, of an old French
home ever since the battle OF Sedan. I, how
ever. shall say little of his castle home. The
wheat harvest was over in the end of May and
unless except the the ordinary garden vege-
tables, the cultivation was entirely different from
that around Indianapolis, although the latitude
Of Sorrento is about that of Mobiles vile, Ind
In the first place let me state that the Sorren-
tino plain ''plano" it is called here) which is
sngularly situated on an average level of one
hundred feet above the level of the sea- and yet
moro than four thousand feet below the summit
of the highest mountains. This plain, which
has these lofty emnences all around it, except
the northern side, which is washed by the Medi-
terranean. is sipgularly fertile, because it has
the extraordinary geological combin aton of vol
canic and cacareous debris such geologist
satisfactorily account for. Now, here grow
trees and plants. either tropical or semi tropical.
The chief income of agricultural Sorrento
from four sources, viz: Oranges. lemons II saw
four large ocean steamers-an English
loading with them this week. olives
and grapes. pc. It is land of oil and
cupyiug the fifth and sixth places. are the i'm
mense quantities Of figs. pears and stone fruits,
such as almonds. peaches. apricots, nectarines,
plums. or prunes Of all kinds Japanese nespores.
cherries, and English walnuts-as they
called in America These all exported in
vast proportions What a difference there is
here from the usual cultivation right around
Indianapolis! 1t is true that We have in Indiana
peaches and pears, but good p1rns and cherries
exception. In my morning ramble. as /
passed through the grounds of the Hotel Ira
montano-which is beautifully situated in
couple of of fruit trees and Towering
plants-I had the curiosity to count the varieties
of trees and plants, and to my surprise found
every continent represented, not by one speci-
men, bnt by many. SO that most grateful shade
WAS produced, and delicious fruit abounded. I
have already mentioned tic oranges and lemons
whose native homo is Asia, and the stone fruits,
mostly from Persia and Asia Minor and the
japanese nespores. But turning from them
noticed the eucalyptus globulus (the 4
blue gum-tree) the cunning han
ica of Australia. the magnolia grandi-
fora from Florida, three varities of palms
from Africa, several kinds of aloes from Mexico
and South America. the cecropia Ia on
whose great succulent leaves the sloth lives).
from the Amazon region. the banana. the bayo-
net plant. the sweet-perfumed stramonium
grandum the laurel with its shining leaves. dear
to Apollo. the strelitzia regina from South
Africa, the ancanthus, which gave rise to the
beautiful Corinthian capital: and all interspersed
with arbors of the most luscious of grapes. such
as will not grow in the open air IN Indiana. in
deed will only flourish in perfection on the Pa
cific coast of California. In the courtyard of
the hotel are Marecha Neel roses, trained clear
up to the second story, and in the winter and
sprngtime laden with their rich yellow
bloom. Here. too, reaching up to the second
story, is the glorious Bourganvil!ia. in February
showing its wealth of large magenta-colored
blossoms-just as have seen 1t In Brazil only
there I have looked upon this wonderful vine
drapinc the mountain cliff with perfect
cade of bloom. Not far from the Bourganvillia
is the rare Rincospernium Tasmenoides, trail
ing over the porch and it's white jasmine-like
flowers sparkling like little stars against the
green foliage.
Who blames the English newly-marred
couples for coming to Sorrento to spend
their honeymoon2 How often have l
seen them in this very Tramontano
hotel hanging over the balconies and gazing
upon all the loveliuess and gloriousness of the